No 'problems' with NYSC but online fee must be reduced by N1000 — NANS

The National Association of Nigerian Students has insisted on the reduction of the online registration fee for prospective National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) members from N4000 to N3,000.

In a statement issued on Monday and published in a Punch report, NANS President, Tijani Usman, said the association wants a N1000 reduction in the fees.

“NANS will ensure that her positions, especially on the reduced fee (from N4, 000 to N3, 000), are pushed through so as to make the system better in the end," Usman’s statement read.

According to the President, he had earlier made the appeal to the NYSC DG Brig-Gen. Johnson Olawumi, when they met in Abuja.

Usman added that the association has no 'personal problems' with the Corps but will do all that it can to make sure that the policy remains functional, effective and exploitation-free.

"This association also wishes to make it clear that we have protested, argued and debated this in the most civilized way; our issues were on points of facts and contents, there is no personal problem between either the leadership of NANS and the NYSC.”

NYSC had in 2014 announced that "with effect from 2014 Batch ‘C’ mobilisation exercise, mobilisation processes will be online" at a compulsory N4,000 fee.

Dissent against the decision came from all quarters, including the House of Representatives which said "the decision requiring fresh graduates to cough out N4,000 to access letters appears insensitive and exploitative."

The National Association of Polytechnics Students (NAPS) and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) also fought the plan but the NYSC forged ahead with the plan.